News

Authorities toughen up on illegal parkers

MOTORISTS in Broadgreen were the target of a joint operation from police and civil enforcement officers yesterday morning in a clampdown on illegal parking.

Swindon Council is in the process of installing new signage to make people aware of the restrictions on residents parking and no-waiting zones around the area.

Broadgreen community beat manager PC Luke Atkinson said the operation came after police saw a spike in anti-social and illegal parking in recent weeks.

“We conducted similar operations in 2013 which led to a drastic reduction in the number of vehicles parking unlawfully and had a hugely positive feedback from the community,” he said.

“Unfortunately this problem has arisen again in recent weeks and is very frustrating for local residents who buy annual parking permits.

“Along with our colleagues in Swindon Council we have been out in the area identifying vehicles parked unlawfully and a number of tickets have been issued.

“These operations will continue and any identified offences will be dealt with robustly.

“We ask that people travelling to the Broadgreen area please abide by the traffic, parking and waiting restrictions.”

Businesses on Manchester Road say they have felt suffocated by the restrictions, and are calling for new measures to be put in place rather then civil enforcement.

Dan Bateman, owner of Dan’s Cycles on Manchester Road, said: “It has been a nightmare. They are really clamping down on it now, and our customers can’t even pull up for five minutes before a warden pulls up on them.

“I can’t see why they can’t make residents’ parking more flexible during working hours to give us a bit of relief.

“It does cause problems with customers because they are always rushing in and rushing out.

“I can see where the residents are coming from though, as often they are not able to park outside their house because someone has dumped their car there. That just pushes the problem along because they will then have to find somewhere else to park.”

Chee Seng, 56, of Broadgreen, said there were worse issues to be dealing with.

“I think illegal parking is probably the least of our worries round here,” he said. “It is quite well controlled as far as I can see, and wardens are round regularly.”

Robert Woods, 53, of Gladstone Street, said the problem had been building for some time.

“There are certainly some problems, because quite often the alleyways get blocked off so you can’t get into your own garage,” he said. “There have been times where there is someone parked at each end so you can’t even get in, let alone park.

“In one case we have seen that someone living in a house round the back has used the alley as a normal parking space because they do not want to pay for the parking permit.”

Comments (13)

This report on illegal parking. The police were involved in stopping the odd cyclist in the town centre the other week and that made the news; the "crooks of the day" are hardly Al Capone are they?

Is there genuinely any need for Police in Swindon? How are we constantly told that they are "stretched"?
It's not like they're out catching speeding motorists, as many will no doubt claim, as I can't remember the last time I saw a police car on the roads.

This report on illegal parking. The police were involved in stopping the odd cyclist in the town centre the other week and that made the news; the "crooks of the day" are hardly Al Capone are they?
Is there genuinely any need for Police in Swindon? How are we constantly told that they are "stretched"?
It's not like they're out catching speeding motorists, as many will no doubt claim, as I can't remember the last time I saw a police car on the roads.BCDR99

“There are certainly some problems, because quite often the alleyways get blocked off so you can’t get into your own garage,” he said. “There have been times where there is someone parked at each end so you can’t even get in, let alone park". Who wouldn't be tempted to take matters into their own hands in a situation like this and cause the selfish parkers a bit of inconvenience themselves? There are other ways of getting the message across nice and clear without having to wait for a traffic warden.

“There are certainly some problems, because quite often the alleyways get blocked off so you can’t get into your own garage,” he said. “There have been times where there is someone parked at each end so you can’t even get in, let alone park". Who wouldn't be tempted to take matters into their own hands in a situation like this and cause the selfish parkers a bit of inconvenience themselves? There are other ways of getting the message across nice and clear without having to wait for a traffic warden.madreeves

I do not know the area well but I can't remember the last time that I drove along Manchester Road and did not see cars parked on the double yellow lines. The road is busy enough and slow moving enough with all the bus stops (that do not have pull ins) without motorists causing further obstructions my abandoning their cars whilst they "pop in" to one of the shops.
N.B. If I have seen one minicab / private hire outside a shop with their hazard lights on waiting for their fare I have seen a hundred.

I do not know the area well but I can't remember the last time that I drove along Manchester Road and did not see cars parked on the double yellow lines. The road is busy enough and slow moving enough with all the bus stops (that do not have pull ins) without motorists causing further obstructions my abandoning their cars whilst they "pop in" to one of the shops.
N.B. If I have seen one minicab / private hire outside a shop with their hazard lights on waiting for their fare I have seen a hundred.swindondad

Millions illegally park every day in this country, you will never solve it. It seems sadly that its human nature to be selfish and not give a toss about anyone else or whatever law you don't seem to agree with.

Millions illegally park every day in this country, you will never solve it. It seems sadly that its human nature to be selfish and not give a toss about anyone else or whatever law you don't seem to agree with.house on the hill

Trouble is there just picking on easy targets, what about shopkeepers we pay our council and business tax and now theyve taken away parking for customers.
Theres loads of space in side roads but they cant park there cause its all resdients parking, that isnt being used and residents go mad about people only parking for a few minutes in there precios parking bays. Manchester road is for shops the council should provide parking, its getting to afect businesses if they all go which they will, the prostitutes and druggies will be back, then what will the council and police and the poor residents do then.

Trouble is there just picking on easy targets, what about shopkeepers we pay our council and business tax and now theyve taken away parking for customers.
Theres loads of space in side roads but they cant park there cause its all resdients parking, that isnt being used and residents go mad about people only parking for a few minutes in there precios parking bays. Manchester road is for shops the council should provide parking, its getting to afect businesses if they all go which they will, the prostitutes and druggies will be back, then what will the council and police and the poor residents do then.spiller1928

spiller1928 wrote:
Trouble is there just picking on easy targets, what about shopkeepers we pay our council and business tax and now theyve taken away parking for customers.
Theres loads of space in side roads but they cant park there cause its all resdients parking, that isnt being used and residents go mad about people only parking for a few minutes in there precios parking bays. Manchester road is for shops the council should provide parking, its getting to afect businesses if they all go which they will, the prostitutes and druggies will be back, then what will the council and police and the poor residents do then.

We have a similar problem , and after some emails back and forth to the same PC that appears in this report, he worked hard to speak to the people that were causing the problem, they told him they would stop the problem happening, but carried on, so just paid lip service to him,
He then sent me an email to say there was no more he could do, and the only way forward was to speak to my local councillor, so this to me looks like easy pickings,
The problem I had was Tesco lorries parking illegally and making illegal, even police cars drive past the parked up lorries and do nothing, Ocotal way is a no parking zone,
But of course the difference here is it's Tesco,s, and not the independent traders of Manchester road

[quote][p][bold]spiller1928[/bold] wrote:
Trouble is there just picking on easy targets, what about shopkeepers we pay our council and business tax and now theyve taken away parking for customers.
Theres loads of space in side roads but they cant park there cause its all resdients parking, that isnt being used and residents go mad about people only parking for a few minutes in there precios parking bays. Manchester road is for shops the council should provide parking, its getting to afect businesses if they all go which they will, the prostitutes and druggies will be back, then what will the council and police and the poor residents do then.[/p][/quote]We have a similar problem , and after some emails back and forth to the same PC that appears in this report, he worked hard to speak to the people that were causing the problem, they told him they would stop the problem happening, but carried on, so just paid lip service to him,
He then sent me an email to say there was no more he could do, and the only way forward was to speak to my local councillor, so this to me looks like easy pickings,
The problem I had was Tesco lorries parking illegally and making illegal, even police cars drive past the parked up lorries and do nothing, Ocotal way is a no parking zone,
But of course the difference here is it's Tesco,s, and not the independent traders of Manchester roadDickdock

perhaps resident only parking should be removed, and replaced with time limited parking, I do not agree with residents parking ton centre or anywhere else, I have yellow lines outside my house, but I do not abuse the system, nobody has the right to park outside their house, yet we are expected to pay road tax etc for the use of the highways, perhaps if people checked the parking available on their property or the amount available nearby, but as every house wants multiple parking something has to give, to the detriment of other road users, people pay relative peanuts for a permit to park at their leisure, but will not abide by the law when faced with parking restrictions elsewhere. Time to scrap this scheme.

perhaps resident only parking should be removed, and replaced with time limited parking, I do not agree with residents parking ton centre or anywhere else, I have yellow lines outside my house, but I do not abuse the system, nobody has the right to park outside their house, yet we are expected to pay road tax etc for the use of the highways, perhaps if people checked the parking available on their property or the amount available nearby, but as every house wants multiple parking something has to give, to the detriment of other road users, people pay relative peanuts for a permit to park at their leisure, but will not abide by the law when faced with parking restrictions elsewhere. Time to scrap this scheme.faatmaan

twasadawf wrote:
Hope they are going to make a visit on friday as it's do what you like day in this area

They dare not uphold the law in this area on Holy Friday each week or they will be accused of racial/religious prejudice .

[quote][p][bold]twasadawf[/bold] wrote:
Hope they are going to make a visit on friday as it's do what you like day in this area[/p][/quote]They dare not uphold the law in this area on Holy Friday each week or they will be accused of racial/religious prejudice .SAM2WIN

If people actually parked in the bays it wouldn't be an issue, but people don't want to walk so they park in the double yellow lines and on the corners of roads, making it impossible for drivers to see if any cars are coming down Manchester road when coming out of side roads.
Our landlord has moved our fence so we're fortunate to have a private parking space at the back of our property, but for some reason people think it's ok to park in front of it, also blocking the alleyway meaning others can't get to their garages.
Like I said, if people were considerate enough to actually park in the bays then it wouldn't need policing - unfortunately they're not & so these are the consequences - it ruins it for everyone!

If people actually parked in the bays it wouldn't be an issue, but people don't want to walk so they park in the double yellow lines and on the corners of roads, making it impossible for drivers to see if any cars are coming down Manchester road when coming out of side roads.
Our landlord has moved our fence so we're fortunate to have a private parking space at the back of our property, but for some reason people think it's ok to park in front of it, also blocking the alleyway meaning others can't get to their garages.
Like I said, if people were considerate enough to actually park in the bays then it wouldn't need policing - unfortunately they're not & so these are the consequences - it ruins it for everyone!LW1986

faatmaan wrote:
perhaps resident only parking should be removed, and replaced with time limited parking, I do not agree with residents parking ton centre or anywhere else, I have yellow lines outside my house, but I do not abuse the system, nobody has the right to park outside their house, yet we are expected to pay road tax etc for the use of the highways, perhaps if people checked the parking available on their property or the amount available nearby, but as every house wants multiple parking something has to give, to the detriment of other road users, people pay relative peanuts for a permit to park at their leisure, but will not abide by the law when faced with parking restrictions elsewhere. Time to scrap this scheme.

faatman said " yet we are expected to pay road tax etc for the use of the highways"

A common misconception. "Road Tax" is actually called Vehicle Excise Duty and is charged BECAUSE you OWN a car and the amount you pay is based in its CO2 emissions. Winston Churchill started the scrapping of "Road Tax" to VED because he could see that it was causing a selfish attitude among many car owners who thought, wrongly, that paying road tax gave them some superior claim to the public space that is the road network.
Swindon's roads are maintained and operated by SBC so it's actually council tax that pays for them, with top up funding from central government.

That aside, I've been driving down Manchester Road in the past and a car was parked on the pavement on double yellows and 2 PCSOs walked past it, ignored it and then told a guy on a bicycle on the pavement to dismount and that if he did it again he could be fined. Obviously, it was too difficult to deal with the illegally parked car so they thought the teenager on a bike was an incident they could cope with as they radioed in to control to tell them what they'd just done.
(My windows were down at the time, so I saw and heard everything clearly)

[quote][p][bold]faatmaan[/bold] wrote:
perhaps resident only parking should be removed, and replaced with time limited parking, I do not agree with residents parking ton centre or anywhere else, I have yellow lines outside my house, but I do not abuse the system, nobody has the right to park outside their house, yet we are expected to pay road tax etc for the use of the highways, perhaps if people checked the parking available on their property or the amount available nearby, but as every house wants multiple parking something has to give, to the detriment of other road users, people pay relative peanuts for a permit to park at their leisure, but will not abide by the law when faced with parking restrictions elsewhere. Time to scrap this scheme.[/p][/quote]faatman said " yet we are expected to pay road tax etc for the use of the highways"
A common misconception. "Road Tax" is actually called Vehicle Excise Duty and is charged BECAUSE you OWN a car and the amount you pay is based in its CO2 emissions. Winston Churchill started the scrapping of "Road Tax" to VED because he could see that it was causing a selfish attitude among many car owners who thought, wrongly, that paying road tax gave them some superior claim to the public space that is the road network.
Swindon's roads are maintained and operated by SBC so it's actually council tax that pays for them, with top up funding from central government.
That aside, I've been driving down Manchester Road in the past and a car was parked on the pavement on double yellows and 2 PCSOs walked past it, ignored it and then told a guy on a bicycle on the pavement to dismount and that if he did it again he could be fined. Obviously, it was too difficult to deal with the illegally parked car so they thought the teenager on a bike was an incident they could cope with as they radioed in to control to tell them what they'd just done.
(My windows were down at the time, so I saw and heard everything clearly)BCDR99